Ukraine war updates: daily briefings as of July 9, 2016

Ukraine war updates from the war zone in southeast Ukraine as of July 9, 2016 by ATO HQ operational dataand Presidential Administration spokesman on ATO issues briefing: EMPR highlights.

(1) The situation in the war zone intensified. Russian armed forces and their proxies opened fire 72 times upon Ukrainian troops positions, in particular: 6 times on Luhansk direction, 33 times on Donetsk direction and 33 on Mariupol direction;

(2) Luhansk direction: Russian armed forces opened fire upon Ukrainian troops positions near Stanytsya Luhanska and Novooleksandrivka; the enemy also used mortar launchers in Novozvanivka and Rayivka;

(3) Donetsk direction: Russian forces released about 200 mortar mines (almost of forbidden 120-mm caliber) upon Ukrainian positions at Svitlodarska line, north suburb of occupied Horlivka and Avdiivka; the enemy also shelled at Troytske, Novoselivka Druha, Pisky and Nevelske with mortars; the heaviest situation remains in Avdiivka industrial area, where Russian forces opened fire upon Ukrainian troops positions with all kinds of weapons, except of tanks and artillery; the enemy violated ceasefire regime three times in Donetsk airport area with armored vehicles, mortars and the small arms; Avdiivka, Zaytseve, Mayorsk and Luhanske remain the hottest spots on this direction as Russian forces actively used 120-mm mortar fire against Ukrainian troops there; the enemy also fired upon Ukrainian positions with 82-mm mortars, grenade launchers of different systems, high caliber machine guns and small arms;

(4) Mariupol direction: Russian occupiers released 20 shells from forbidden 122-mm artillery at Vodyane; Shyrokino, Talakivka, Starognatove the enemy used 120-mm mortars; in addition, Russian forces opened fire with 82-mm mortar in Talakivka; Russian sniper fire reported in Maryinka as well as 2-hours-long Russian shelling from grenade launchers of different systems and high caliber machine guns;

(5) 9 Russian UAVs have been spotted over the sky at the territory of southeast Ukraine during the last day;

(6) Russian forces’ losses in the war zone in southeast Ukraine over the last day are as follows: 6 killed and 7 wounded;

(7) 1 Ukrainian servicemen was killed in action, 6 servicemen were wounded in action in southeast Ukraine over the last day.